# NTSB investigations: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG: Low altitude operation/event

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR25LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA112.md): Enstrom 280FX · Waterford, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 15, 2025 · N402TA · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from water while operating at a low altitude.
- [NTSB WPR24LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA113.md): Kitfox S7 Super Sport · Asotin, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 16, 2024 · N295P · Substantial damage
  > Pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from powerlines during low altitude flying.
- [NTSB WPR22FA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA312.md): Jackson Dennis RV-8 · Scio, OR · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Aug 21, 2022 · N184DJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to perform a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver and his improper execution of the maneuver, which resulted in impact with terrain.
- [NTSB CEN22LA356](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA356.md): Arbc Inc DBA Lindstrand 150A · Indianola, IA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 30, 2022 · N316EB · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level maneuvering.
- [NTSB CEN20CA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA311.md): Air Tractor AT 401 · Burlington, CO · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Jul 27, 2020 · N9190Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from guy-wires during low-altitude agricultural operations.
- [NTSB GAA20CA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA018.md): Foxworthy Rick A Sonex · Langley, WA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 11, 2019 · N612RF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path, which resulted in impact with a tree.
- [NTSB GAA19CA303](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA303.md): Air Tractor AT502 · Rockford, OH · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 31, 2019 · N60518 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during an agricultural application flight.
- [NTSB GAA19CA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA262.md): Cub Crafters Carbon CUB EX · Grand Junction, CO · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 11, 2019 · N56XC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level maneuvering through a canyon.
- [NTSB GAA18CA573](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA573.md): Hiller UH 12E · Frankfort, KS · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 20, 2018 · N1349A · Substantial damage
  > The ground crewmember's improper grabbing of the hovering helicopter's skid during an external load hook-up, which resulted in the helicopter descending and the main rotors striking ground equipment.
- [NTSB WPR18FA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA261.md): Gruber Beelzabub · Rochester, WA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Sep 14, 2018 · N382T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree while maneuvering at a low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN15FA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA154.md): Rose Thunder Mustang · Helotes, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 25, 2015 · N7TR · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance from terrain after initiating an aerobatic maneuver at a low altitude.
- [NTSB CEN13LA368](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA368.md): Nanchang China CJ-6 · Wolcott, CO · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 23, 2013 · N2726C · Substantial damage
  > The pilots decision to perform an aerobatic maneuver at a low altitude from which he was unable to recover.
- [NTSB ANC12CA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA029.md): Cessna 180 · Palmer, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 30, 2012 · N266V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain during low-level maneuvering.
- [NTSB WPR10CA466](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA466.md): Hiller UH-12E · Mecca, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 21, 2010 · N6053H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle while maneuvering.
- [NTSB CEN10CA454](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA454.md): Piper PA-36-285 · Petersburg, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 29, 2010 · N57706 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a signpost during an aerial application flight.
- [NTSB CEN10CA395](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA395.md): Bell OH-58A · Roswell, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 10, 2010 · N415NS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from transmission wires.
- [NTSB ERA10LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA266.md): Aerostar S A YAK-52 · Jensen Beach, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · May 15, 2010 · N6868Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to perform an aerobatic maneuver at a low altitude, which resulted in insufficient clearance from the water to conduct a recovery. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s extended landing gear, which resulted in a degradation of…
- [NTSB ERA09CA432](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA432.md): Bingham Chuck Rotorway 1 · Atlanta, GA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 31, 2009 · N267BC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while hovering in gusting wind conditions.
- [NTSB WPR09LA325](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA325.md): Aero Vodochody L-29 · Tehachapi, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 4, 2009 · N97869 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while performing a low altitude maneuver.
- [NTSB WPR09LA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA269.md): Storch Aviation Australia PTY SS-MK4 · Boulder, UT · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · May 29, 2009 · N2898J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low altitude maneuvering.
- [NTSB DFW08LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08LA197.md): Marshall James J Cozy MK IV · Midlothian, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 24, 2008 · N500K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the wall of the rock quarry.
- [NTSB SEA08LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA128.md): Moravan Zlin 50LX · Modesto, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 10, 2008 · N6660K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot failed to maintain clearance from terrain during a low-altitude maneuver at an airshow. Contributing to the accident was the task overload in the increased frequency congestion.
- [NTSB DFW08LA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08LA108.md): Woods Challenger II · Corning, AR · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 20, 2008 · N213TW · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from transmission lines. A contributing factor was the low altitude selected by the pilot.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.engine_model_code IN ('99999')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = x.position AND e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '220'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/cases?engine=99999

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OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.